Help me build my PC 2020 Catch All

My processor is idling at 50-55 degrees. It is hot in the room (probably 80) but I think I should re-apply thermal paste. I have some very old tubes that are probably 10 or so years old. Does it degrade in the tube or should I order some new stuff?

I should also note that I installed a new Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 2.5 years ago using screw mounts (not clip ins). Asus Fanxpert is running it at 765 RPM on the standard setting.

Could the thermal stickum stuff that came with the heatsink already be bad?

Possibly the fanxpert is defaulting to too low of an RPM?

You might open it up and vacuum out the accumulated dust.
Obviously disconnect the computer from power first...

So:

The Ryzen 7 3800XT manages a 3DMark Fire Strike physics score of 25,135, which is not all that dissimilar to the Ryzen 7 3800X with an average of 24,190.

The marginal performance gain may be due to the disparity in rumoured clock speed and that which is reported within the benchmarks—both the 3800XT are 3900XT are lagging a little behind the initial rumoured specs and are only reported with a 100MHz clock speed increase -- but that score is also not that far off what we would expect from a minor clock speed bump.

That's what I expected to see from a refresh.

200-300mhz boost clock increases on a mid cycle refresh with no node/design changes sounded fairly ridiculous to me given the way current Zen2 parts behave in various thermal/power situations. They're the same parts. Them suddenly being a 4000 series desktop part style leap never really made sense.

Seeing them show up in Benchmark suites with only 100mhz over the current parts, while less exciting, at least makes sense and sounds like maybe AMD won't end up fighting another wave of "my processor never hits it's advertised boost clocks no matter what" posts like they had when the 3900X came out.

And if it leads to price drops on current 3000 series chips, it will continue making Intel look bad anyway.

Should be fun to watch if nothing else.

fangblackbone wrote:

You might open it up and vacuum out the accumulated dust.
Obviously disconnect the computer from power first...

I did that when I put in new GPU a couple weeks ago. It looks pretty clear and the fans are clean and quiet.

*Legion* wrote:
merphle wrote:

over 100,000 times more processing power

over a million times more memory

JavaScript: "I'm gonna go ahead and take a few of those zeroes off."

Oh yeah? +"000"

Danjo Olivaw wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
merphle wrote:

over 100,000 times more processing power

over a million times more memory

JavaScript: "I'm gonna go ahead and take a few of those zeroes off."

Oh yeah? +"000"

IMAGE(https://66.media.tumblr.com/721816b7f0022f2f2b02f99e674b1460/tumblr_mvetubR7kE1qzr86qo1_500.gif)

EvilDead wrote:

My processor is idling at 50-55 degrees. It is hot in the room (probably 80) but I think I should re-apply thermal paste. I have some very old tubes that are probably 10 or so years old. Does it degrade in the tube or should I order some new stuff?

I should also note that I installed a new Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 2.5 years ago using screw mounts (not clip ins). Asus Fanxpert is running it at 765 RPM on the standard setting.

Could the thermal stickum stuff that came with the heatsink already be bad?

Possibly the fanxpert is defaulting to too low of an RPM?

It seemed like the fan anchor screws had loosened slightly so I re-applied the fan with some old Artic Silver 5. Now I'm idling at 45. Not what I was looking for but better. I did the 3Dmark time spy benchmark and was maxing at 60 until it reached the particle part which was intensive on the CPU. Core temp is telling me one of them peaked at 87. Seems very high.

Right now I have two front intake fans but only one rear exhaust on the Corsair 750D. Temps use to be significantly lower when I had a water cooler that added two additional exhaust fans on the top. Top is just open vented now. CPU is an i7 4790k

My understanding is that a transient of 87 will be okay for that cpu (per Tom's Hardware). Anything sustained over 85 or so would be bad.

EvilDead wrote:

Asus Fanxpert is running it at 765 RPM on the standard setting.

Possibly the fanxpert is defaulting to too low of an RPM?

Well the 212 EVO fan runs from 600 to 2000 RPM, so if it's still only at 765 RPM when you're torture testing, the fan curves are probably making it so.

Your CPU's throttle point is 100 C, so peaking at 87 is still a good bit away from there. But I would look into your fan RPM and see about making the fan ramp up to 100% sooner if you want to try and bring that down (and if you can stand the fan noise when it does).

Robear wrote:

My understanding is that a transient of 87 will be okay for that cpu (per Tom's Hardware). Anything sustained over 85 or so would be bad.

OK, that's good to know. I didn't even see it hit that while watching the core temp on a second screen so it was really brief.

*Legion* wrote:
EvilDead wrote:

Asus Fanxpert is running it at 765 RPM on the standard setting.

Possibly the fanxpert is defaulting to too low of an RPM?

Well the 212 EVO fan runs from 600 to 2000 RPM, so if it's still only at 765 RPM when you're torture testing, the fan curves are probably making it so.

Your CPU's throttle point is 100 C, so peaking at 87 is still a good bit away from there. But I would look into your fan RPM and see about making the fan ramp up to 100% sooner if you want to try and bring that down (and if you can stand the fan noise when it does).

That's just it's idle CPU speed that Asus picks. The full case did get very loud during the particle test. Yesterday I changed from standard to "turbo" in fanxpert now the idle speed is 1120 but it doesn't drop the CPU temp much. Since there is a bit of overhead I will leave it be. Maybe order a second exhaust fan that I can transfer to my next build.

Edit: Any reason I shouldn't get the Noctua NF-P14s redux-1200 PWM? From my understanding the 4-pin PWM connector is the one to get these days.

Edit: Might have to scratch that particular model. Out of stock.

4-pin PWM allows the fan's speed to be controlled. Fans with 3-pin connectors constantly run at a set speed. Any CPU cooler should come with 4-pin connector(s) for its fan(s), and any aftermarket fan(s) you swap into a CPU cooler in place of the fan(s) it came with should be 4-pin PWM as well. 3-pin fans are better used as case fans for providing steady airflow.

3-pin fans can absolutely be controlled, via the supply voltage. 4-pin fans give better measurements and are controlled via pulse width modulation, which I think is how often they're supplied power, rather than how much they're given.

Regardless, most motherboards will detect and correctly throttle either kind of fan. 4-pin fans might save a watt or two on power.

OK, I guess I will stick with 4 pin since it doesn't seem to hurt.

Yeah, 4-pin connectors are slightly superior. It's not a big deal either way, but go with 4-pin when you have a choice.

4 > 3. That's just math.

Malor wrote:

Yeah, 4-pin connectors are slightly superior. It's not a big deal either way, but go with 4-pin when you have a choice.

Another thing to note: If you get a splitter which connects multiple fans to a single 4-pin header, typically only one of the ends going to the fans will be 4-pin. The rest will be 3. Why? Because PWM can only get an accurate measurement from 1 fan. It can control the rest of your fans based on that one.

Interesting. I checked my board and there are some available connectors so no splitter needed yet.

Malor is right that you get some control over 3 pin. I would still only use PWM for a CPU fan.

A strong suggestion: you should now avoid Monoprice. They're selling cheap crap, and then suppressing middling reviews of their stuff.

I just bought some 'premium USB cables' which don't feel AT ALL premium. They have super thin wire and the plastic is hard and inflexible; I strongly suspect they won't be durable. Yet, somehow, my three-star review doesn't show up, either in my profile or on the product page. Yet, if I try to submit another review, they say they already have one. And a five-star review that's newer than mine already shows up on the product page.

I remember when Monoprice cables were uniformly excellent, but these definitely are not. Even if the review thing gets sorted, if they're willing to call cables this cheaply made 'premium quality', you don't want to have anything to do with that company.

Monoprice appears to have gone sh*tty. Next time around, I'll probably stick with Amazon.

That is sad to hear. I was planning on picking up some Cat6A cables to run in the house and I would have probably gotten them from Monoprice.

Morning folks, got a laptop question. My wife is almost certainly being laid off this morning and our old laptop is basically toast. She's now using our son's Chromebook to begin the job hunting process but I think a new laptop is on order.

I know next to nothing about laptops right now. Specifically what processors to avoid. We don't need anything special like a touchscreen, just something that performs well.

I'm seeing a lot of 8 GB laptops which should be good enough, but I'm not against opening it up and slapping in more ram if that's what's needed.

Really, it'll just be a thing to use for applying for jobs and other simple uses.

Thoughts?

I just saw this and was intrigued (15" w/ latest ryzen for 650$):

Malor wrote:

A strong suggestion: you should now avoid Monoprice. They're selling cheap crap, and then suppressing middling reviews of their stuff.

I just bought some 'premium USB cables' which don't feel AT ALL premium. They have super thin wire and the plastic is hard and inflexible; I strongly suspect they won't be durable. Yet, somehow, my three-star review doesn't show up, either in my profile or on the product page. Yet, if I try to submit another review, they say they already have one. And a five-star review that's newer than mine already shows up on the product page.

I remember when Monoprice cables were uniformly excellent, but these definitely are not. Even if the review thing gets sorted, if they're willing to call cables this cheaply made 'premium quality', you don't want to have anything to do with that company.

Monoprice appears to have gone sh*tty. Next time around, I'll probably stick with Amazon.

Pretty sure you are in the US, but at least in Canada I have had great success with Prime Cables.

I bought this Chrombook for my family's light use and couldn't be happier.

It can handle all their Zoom school meetings, Youtube and stuff.

The only real drawback for most would be that you don't have the real office suite so you have do use Google Docs, then save as Word, then upload that if you are say applying for jobs. Most places still require Microsoft Office formats.

However it is dirt cheap and runs like a wonder.

garion333 wrote:

Morning folks, got a laptop question. My wife is almost certainly being laid off this morning and our old laptop is basically toast. She's now using our son's Chromebook to begin the job hunting process but I think a new laptop is on order.

I know next to nothing about laptops right now. Specifically what processors to avoid. We don't need anything special like a touchscreen, just something that performs well.

I'm seeing a lot of 8 GB laptops which should be good enough, but I'm not against opening it up and slapping in more ram if that's what's needed.

Really, it'll just be a thing to use for applying for jobs and other simple uses.

Thoughts?

fangblackbone wrote:

I just saw this and was intrigued (15" w/ latest ryzen for 650$):

Nice, hopefully I can find one and price it out. I'd rather not spend so much for a primarily web surfing laptop, but we could use it with my oldest as a lite gaming laptop too.

Two birds, one stone and all that.

farley3k wrote:

I bought this Chrombook for my family's light use and couldn't be happier.

It can handle all their Zoom school meetings, Youtube and stuff.

The only real drawback for most would be that you don't have the real office suite so you have do use Google Docs, then save as Word, then upload that if you are say applying for jobs. Most places still require Microsoft Office formats.

However it is dirt cheap and runs like a wonder.

We few a Samsung Chromebook that runs OK. Works fine for the kid but I think it's slow. Lol

Doubt we'll get another Chromebook now that he's done with school for the summer, but it may make the most sense to pay for a year of Microsoft 365, use the Chromebook we have and call it a day.

Thanks!

garion333 wrote:

Morning folks, got a laptop question.

fangblackbone wrote:

Relevant Walmart link - $350ish, and comes with Windows 10 installed.

Disclaimer: I haven't personally used one of these, but the video review looked reasonable and honest. It's not a perfect laptop by any means, but seems very decent for the price. And if I recall correctly, it's easily user-upgradable.

merphle wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Morning folks, got a laptop question.

fangblackbone wrote:

Relevant Walmart link - $350ish, and comes with Windows 10 installed.

Disclaimer: I haven't personally used one of these, but the video review looked reasonable and honest. It's not a perfect laptop by any means, but seems very decent for the price. And if I recall correctly, it's easily user-upgradable.

At $250 that's a nice deal. Folks were getting the i5 version for $300! Apparently that price is gone though and if I'm spending $350 I'd probably rather spend $500 and get something I can trust to last a little bit longer.

garion333 wrote:

Morning folks, got a laptop question. My wife is almost certainly being laid off this morning and our old laptop is basically toast. She's now using our son's Chromebook to begin the job hunting process but I think a new laptop is on order.

I know next to nothing about laptops right now. Specifically what processors to avoid. We don't need anything special like a touchscreen, just something that performs well.

I'm seeing a lot of 8 GB laptops which should be good enough, but I'm not against opening it up and slapping in more ram if that's what's needed.

Really, it'll just be a thing to use for applying for jobs and other simple uses.

Thoughts?

First, very sorry to hear about your wife's work situation.

My first stop for laptop information is LaptopMag's reviews. I haven't found anywhere else that reviews as many models with a consistent test suite that facilitates 1:1 comparison, and they have a suitably critical eye for the more subjective parts of the experience. Their best laptops under $500 article should probably be your first port of call.

*Legion* wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Morning folks, got a laptop question. My wife is almost certainly being laid off this morning and our old laptop is basically toast. She's now using our son's Chromebook to begin the job hunting process but I think a new laptop is on order.

I know next to nothing about laptops right now. Specifically what processors to avoid. We don't need anything special like a touchscreen, just something that performs well.

I'm seeing a lot of 8 GB laptops which should be good enough, but I'm not against opening it up and slapping in more ram if that's what's needed.

Really, it'll just be a thing to use for applying for jobs and other simple uses.

Thoughts?

First, very sorry to hear about your wife's work situation.

My first stop for laptop information is LaptopMag's reviews. I haven't found anywhere else that reviews as many models with a consistent test suite that facilitates 1:1 comparison, and they have a suitably critical eye for the more subjective parts of the experience. Their best laptops under $500 article should probably be your first port of call.

Whelp, that article was fascinating. Just about every one of their Windows-based recommendations came with 4 GB of RAM and I know that won't cut it anymore. I know that because that's what my work laptop came with before we slapped 4 more gigs in there and it came to life.

So, that article feels a bit outdated to me. The Acer's they were recommending otherwise look good, except that RAM issue.

I'll poke around some more.

Thanks!